


Comfort

by Marshmalloween



Series: Devotion [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Animal Attack, Arranged Marriage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Hurt Steve Rogers, Just Add Kittens, Massage, Mention of Bucky, Mention of Dogs, Reader is so sweet, Squee, Steve Feels, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26067199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marshmalloween/pseuds/Marshmalloween
Summary: You try to help Steve overcomes some unexpected event
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Female Reader, Steve Rogers/Reader, Steve Rogers/Y/N, Steve Rogers/You
Series: Devotion [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1892953
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Comfort

**Author's Note:**

  * For [donutloverxo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/donutloverxo/gifts).



> I continuing my quest on collecting prompt! I hope this meshed smoothly ❤️
> 
> Forever from @spaceodditybarnes  
> “You’re upset.” “I am not.”“I know that face. That’s your I’m-upset-with-you face. And your eyebrows - they get really expressive when you’re mad.” from @the-ce-horniest-book-club  
> “So you like cats?” from @londonspidey  
> “Everything’s going to be okay.” from @caplanbuckybarnes  
> “Did I…fall asleep on you??” from @stargazingfangirl18 and @navybrat817  
> “Let me help you” from @donutloverxo, @optimistic-dinosaur-nacho & @captainchrisbaby
> 
> This fanfic is a sequels to Home and also a request from @donutloverxo where reader taking care of sad Steve. I continue my heavy rotation (no pun intended) of prompts 😂 Massive thanks to @jobean12-blog for the beta ;)

The sounds of the main door opening disrupt her from the book she reads. It’s been a week since her first date with her husband, Steve Rogers whom she married because of their families business agreements. Both strangers need to unite and learn to live together under the same roof. So far, neither of them want to kill each other although they haven’t become too affectionate either. Will they be together **forever**? That’s one question she is afraid to answer.

She contemplates if she needs to greet her husband or not. Usually she is already asleep when Steve arrives home but sometimes they talk a little bit before he bids her good night since he has a meeting the next morning. If she’s being honest, she feels lonely. Moving back to a country she hasn’t visited for years and not to mention missing some of her friends back home has been difficult. 

Luckily she has a new companion she named Dumpling, the small kitten she and Steve rescued after their date night. Her fingers stroke the head of Dumpling’s orange fur when Steve opens the bedroom door. Steve unintentionally greets her with his disheveled appearance, startled to see her awake.

“You’re still awake this late?” his low voice sounds tired and sad. 

She nods at Steve and changes her sitting position on the bed. She put Dumpling in the small cat bed on the mattress. Quickly she inspects Steve. Tie loose, sleeves rolled up and suit jacket missing.

“Steve, what’s wrong?” 

“Nothing.” he lies.

Steve left the bedroom door open as he walks towards her. He crouches in front of the small mattress bed that has Dumpling written on it. Slowly, Steve brushes his fingers on the small cats head in a soothing rhythm. But she can tell something is wrong. 

**“You’re upset."**

**"I am not.”** he insists. 

**“I know that face. That’s your I’m-upset-with-you face. And your eyebrows - they get really expressive when you’re mad.”**

Steve gives her a soft smile and shakes his head. “No, I’m not upset or mad at you.” 

“But you are upset. What happened?” she puts her hand on his shoulder. It immediately draws Steve’s attention and he stops stroking the cat. Carefully, Steve stands up and puts aside the cat and its mattress away to the sofa across the room.

“I ran over a dog.” His broad shoulders slump at the confession.

“Oh. I’m sorry…,” there’s a heartbreaking tone in her voice. She isn’t sure what to do. 

“Steve… sit with me please.” A pleading voice brings Steve’s body to turns facing her. She pat the bed next to her as she scoots closely to the headboard. Sitting down on the bed, Steve’s palms nervously running on his thigh. 

“Do you want to talk about it? I know I can’t help but I believe talking about it will make it better?” 

Surprisingly, Steve nods at her. His blue eyes don’t look as vibrant as it’s usually do. Replace with heavy sad eyes. Interlacing her fingers to his, she rubs her thumb on his knuckles in a soothing way. She doesn’t say anything, she just waits, waiting when Steve feels comfortable to share his story. The strain muscle on his face slowly relaxes.

Steve struggles a little bit but he finally tells her what happened before he arrived home. The dog he accidentally hit is apparently being harassed and beaten by some people on the street. It tried to escape and jumped down the road in front of Steve’s car when he was driving home.

Although that event left Steve in a panic for a while, he quickly checks the dog’s condition and gently carries it. Wrapping its body with his jacket suit. From Bruce’s explanation, apparently the dog experiencing some trauma before Steve’s car hit it. There’s no collar but Bruce said he will see if there’s a microchip in the dog, since the dog doesn’t look like a stray dog.

“I push the breaks but I still hit it.” She definitely doesn’t think Steve could be really upset because he hit a dog. But then again, it means that Steve is actually a really good guy. Is this the other side of Steve? Sides that she doesn’t think she witnesses much.

“Steve—, you didn’t do it intentionally.” She tries to reassure him. “You immediately took him to Bruce’s animal hospital, he is in good hands.” There’s adoration in her tone.

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need.” She smiles while she gives a final squeeze on his knuckles. “You should rest, you look really tired.” There’s a hesitation in his blue eyes, as if he’s not ready to leave the comfort he has right now. Sharing something that he might conceal easily. 

“Are you ok?” 

Steve just nods at her, “You right, I think I am just tired.” he gives her a wry smile.

“What don’t you take a quick shower? After that, I can give your head a massage. I guess it will help?” there’s uncertainty in her tone as if she’s not sure this is a good idea. 

“Would you do that?” She nods.

“Sure. Do you want something to drink? I also can prepare some non-caffeine tea. That will be good for you.” A small nod is a sign Steve gives her as he mutters thank you.

—

When Steve exits the bathroom with a fresh white shirt and pajama pants, he’s not ready to see, dare Steve say such a cute scene. His wife sits next to the cat’s bed and gives the cat some milk. 

**“So, you like cats?”** there’s some amusement in his tone. 

She beams at Steve. Seems like he’s getting better after the shower. “Well… I definitely don’t hate them. This one just needs some extra food.”

“Dumpling looks like he enjoys all of the attention you give him.” 

“He better be! Oh, I put the tea in the night stand. It will help you rest.” After she finished with the cat, she let the cat play in it’s bed.

Steve sits on the bed and sips the tea carefully. The smell of the tea instantaneously helps to relax. It takes Steve witnessing Bucky showering his wife with a lot of attention and pleasantry to make him take his marriage seriously. Not that he will say it bluntly to anyone, especially not his wife.

The sounds of a mattress dips, catching Steve attention. She sits in the middle of the bed and rests her back on the headboard. Carefully, she puffs the pillow and lands it on her lap.

“Are you finished with the tea?” Steve nods at her quietly. 

“Great now rest your head on the pillow, relax. **Let me help you** ” 

Placing back the tea cup on the saucer, Steve moves himself a bit to the middle of the bed and rests his head on the pillow. He immediately feels better as the back of his head lands on the plush pillows.

“Close your eyes,” her small fingers touch the top of Steve’s head. It moves slowly and gently on his forehead, loosening the muscle there. She moves her hand with circular motion from back to front, repeatedly, 

Steve opens his eyelids, blue ocean irises try to find hers. “Do you think the dog will be ok?” 

A gentle rub to his neck makes Steve immediately close his eyes. He let out a groan of pleasure when her thumb and fingers massaged the back of his neck in an up and down motion, lessening the tension there.

 **“Everything’s going to be okay.”** The soft and sweet voice whispers in Steve’s ear calm him down and lulling him to sleep. “…everything’s going to be okay…”

—

Steve wakes up to an unfamiliar condition. His boring white bedsheet now a pastel blue with some flower pattern on it. The view of the outside isn’t usually the view of Hudson river’s he wakes up too. Not to mention the smell of something calm and flowery makes him want to sleep a little bit longer. 

“You awake?” A soothing voice that he doesn’t realize he’s not used to, catching his attention. Steve tries to recall the event last night. The dog, the sadness, the way she tries to comfort him, her soft and warm touch. 

Fuck, Steve thought. He realizes that his hand is circling her hips as his head half pillowing on her tummy and half on the pillow.

 **“Did I…fall asleep on you??”** Guilt evidence in Steve’s eyes as he is afraid he might step a boundary. After all they still sleep in a different bedroom.

“That’s ok. You were already asleep when I finished the massage and I didn’t have the heart to wake you up.” 

An obligation to show her how thankful he is stressing him out a little bit. Abruptly Steve’s sit on the mattress, legs folded as he looks at her with wistful eyes. “Can I make you breakfast?” 

His disheveled blonde hair and five o'clock shadow kind of disturb her concentration. Not to mention the stretch of his thin white thirst that’s a size too small for his build figure. She unconsciously bites her lower lips at these uncommon situations in the morning.

A soft meow voice of Dumpling answering Steve’s question. The orange kitten showing up its fur to the words of breakfast. “I think we got an answer.”

—

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comment and kudos are really appreciated. Let me know what you think about this ❤️  
> \---  
> I'm @chuuulip on tumblr


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